POT RULING GIVES CHIEF TEMPORARY RELIEF

Pot Possession Illegal But Liberals Poised To Decriminalize

All indications suggest the decision by the Supreme Court of Canada
to, once again, make pot possession a criminal offence may be a short
lived endeavour.

But York Regional Police Chief Armand La Barge promises police will
use the opportunity to buck the message coming out of Ottawa by
employing strict enforcement of the law before Prime Minister Paul
Martin goes through with plans for decriminalization in the new year.

Chief La Barge said he was pleasantly surprised by the ruling, adding
it was just a matter of time before decriminalization legislation was
introduced, however.

"We'll take advantage of the intervening decision from the Supreme
Court," Chief La Barge said, following Tuesday's 6-3 ruling by the
country's highest court to uphold federal law banning marijuana use.

Prior to Parliamentary recess, indications suggested Prime Minister
Martin will introduce a bill to decriminalize possession of less than
15 grams of pot sometime in the new year.

The newly minted leader joked with assembled media about strange
tasting brownies baked by his wife many years ago.

But such light-hearted quips from the country's political leaders only
fuels an already surging debate on pot possession, while giving
Canada's youth the wrong message about drug use, Chief La Barge said.

"It's difficult enough for parents to raise their children. We don't
need mixed signals from the government," he said.

The Liberal government's proposal called for fines, rather than
criminal penalties such as jail time and a criminal record, for anyone
caught with a small amount of marijuana.

Politicians are unnecessarily undoing the work of police and community
leaders to curb drug use, Chief La Barge said.

"As a taxpaying citizen, I thought the government would have more
pressing issues. The government seems intent on rushing when there
doesn't seem to be a clamour for (decriminalization)," he said.

"I don't hear from parents, 'Chief, I disagree with you on this,'"
Chief La Barge added.

But if plans for decriminalization go forward in the future, Chief La
Barge said politicians must also consider several ramifications, such
as police forces ill-equipped to detect drivers impaired by drug use
and an increase in demand fed by illegal grow house operations.

"Whether you say (marijuana) use is OK or not, that's the message
getting out," Chief La Barge said.

Since last summer, possession of small amounts of marijuana had been
considered legal after an Ontario judge ruled that possessing less
than 30 grams of pot was no longer against the law.